Is your computer behaving strangely lately? Does it go slow or does it constantly ask you to download programs? If so, you may have a virus. This article will cover Boot Sector viruses. These viruses affect the sectors needed to boot the operating system. Reinstalling or changing the operating system will not fix the problem.
Steps
Step 1. Back up all important files and remove them from the infected computer, then shut it down
You cannot remove this type of virus if it is still in RAM.
Step 2. Option 1:
Take the hard drive to a professional. DISCONNECT the computer from the power, including the monitor and all peripherals. Remove the HDD (hard disk or hard drive) from the infected computer. First make sure you discharge all the static electricity you are wearing by touching the metal case.
Step 3. Option 2:
Use the software you have on CD-rom or floppy (you can still download floppy images), if you have it, to scan the drive and repair the MBR. Insert the operating system installation CD and access the Windows recovery console if you are using Windows.
Step 4. To change the boot order:
Enter the BIOS by pressing the key required when the computer starts. Once you enter the BIOS, change the boot order so that the first to be read at boot will be the CD and floppy drive.
Step 5. Get the right software:
Find out which company made your HDD and find out if they have software available to perform a low-level format. Warning: in this way the files on your hard disk can no longer be recovered. Some tools for this purpose can be found here. here.
Step 6. Start the formatting tool provided by the HDD manufacturer
Step 7. If you have trouble booting the operating system, reinstall it
Step 8. The most important thing is to use software from trusted sources, otherwise you may run into other viruses
Some antivirus software will reveal bogus viruses on your system to try and sell you the full version. So, read the reviews first.
Advice
- A boot floppy is not required, a formatted floppy will suffice. Check on the label if the floppy is formatted for Mac or PC. If necessary, on Windows, go to Computer, right click on the floppy drive, click “Format” and format it. Then, start the floppy image you downloaded. A CD image will require burning software instead.
- If you are new to the subject and are unable to perform any of these steps, take your computer to a technician or service center.
Warnings
- Write-protect the floppy before using it by sliding the tab on the floppy, because viruses stored in the boot sector may also transfer to the floppy.
- Low-level formatting will erase everything on your HDD. This happens because it erases the entire disk and not just the File Allocation Table (FAT), which would be the HDD directory. The latter works a bit like a telephone directory. When you delete files or perform a simple or high-level format on Windows or DOS, you will delete the file references on the FAT, but it will actually leave the data on the disk. The low-level formatting, on the other hand, completely erases the FAT and overwrites the sectors where the files were present. For this reason, you will no longer be able to recover data once the process has been completed.
